Dirt set corner post



`lune 16,1936. O. A. BROCK DIRT SET4 CORNER POST Filed Sept. 1, 1953- Patented June 16, 1936 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention has reference to a new and improved method of driving and setting a dirtset end or corner post, in fence building and to the end or corner post itself and bracing means therefor.

The term dirt-set as used herein, has reference to a post which is set in the ground in. contradistinction to a post which is supported on the surface of the ground; and furthermore, to a post which is set without the aid of the usual heavy block of cement, into which this type of post has heretofore been set.

A dirt-set post is not broadly new, but with my method of driving and setting a post and with a post and bracing structure, such as I disclose, I eliminate not only the usual heavy block of cement referred. to which requires time for mixing, pouring and setting and unnecessarily delaying and adding to the erection of the fencing, but I also obviate and do away with wings or anchors attached to the post itself, heretofore considered absolutely necessary, as well as to that type of wing or anchor post which requires an auger hole for placement of the post before eX- panding the wings or anchors. Wings or anchors cause trouble when driving the post, not only because of running into obstructions, such as rocks, roots, etc., but because these anchors or wings tend to pull the post out of vertical line when driving. The use of a cement slab for setting the post is obj ectionable, particularly when part of it may reach over on to another owners property. Also should the post need to be removed later, or reset it would be very difficult, if not impossible to get the cement base out of the ground.

'Ihe post and bracing means of my invention comprise elements, each of which are of steel. Therefore such a post may be easily driven into the ground and much more readily than posts such as I have referred to.

The elements constituting the post and bracing means comprise a steel post normally without an anchoring means or impediment means of any kind; a rigid cross-member or anchor adapted for attachment to the post after the post has been driven, which cross-member is seated at the bottom of a shallow trench near the ground surface, the cross-member or anchor being held in place and the post supported by a plurality of stakes which are driven into the ground and which pass through said cross-member. The cross-member and the stakes being submerged in the ground, are covered with dirt, so that weeds can be mowed, or the land cultivated right up to the post, if desired or necessary. `Also, there is an angle brace, connected at one end to the post at a suitable point above the ground and its other end connected to a foot-brace set in a trench below the ground line, at an angle, so so that all forward and downward pressure is against the dirt. This `brace-foot is held by a plurality of stakes in like manner as the crossmember. These stakes are so disposed as to prevent either a forward or downward thrust, thus giving the required rigidity at this particular point.

The method of setting an end or corner post, in accordance with my invention is to drive the steel post into position in the ground; then dig the shallow trench along one side of the post and longitudinally of the direction of a proposed stretch of fence, for a desired distance, on opposite sides of the post; place the cross-member or anchor, preferably of steel, into said trench and tamp it down, solidly; drive a plurality of steel stakes into the ground and through openings in the cross-member and securely fasten the crossmember to the post. One form of fastener for securing the cross-member to the post may comprise a clevis or substantially U bolt which may be slipped down over the post or passed around it with an end. or ends passing through the crossmember and secured by nuts having a threaded engagement therewith. This completes the setting of the post proper, when the trench can be lled with dirt and tamped. To brace the post an inclined brace of steel is loosely attached at one end to the post and also loosely attached to a foot-brace of steel at its opposite end. At the point where the foot-brace is to be located a shallow trench is dug in the ground near the ground surface and at an angle and into this trench the foot-brace is placed and tamped. Stakes of steel similar to those for securing, the cross-member are driven into the ground'and through openings in the foot-brace. Preferably the stake farthest toward the fence line is rst driven into place, then the angle brace is released from the foot-brace and raised out of the way to permit driving the other stake when`the angle brace is then firmly Vsecured to thefoot'- brace and to the post. This completes thesetting of the brace, when this trench can be filled with dirt and tamped, following which the installation is ready for stretching the fence.

The foregoing constitute in the main the essentials of the invention and the objects and purposes thereof. Further objects will more fully appear from the following description.

That the invention may be more fully understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this description illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, on a greatly reduced scale, showing my invention when employed as an end or corner post in a fence structure;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the post, bracing member and ground supporting and securing means;

Fig. 3 shows in detail, partly in section, one form of securing means between the post and cross-member;

Fig. 4 shows in detail, partly in section, another form of securing means between the post and cross-member, and

Fig. 5 is a detail in elevation showing the Vcrossmember and a stake.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

I designates the end or corner post which is preferably of angle iron and of suitable length, its lower end being preferably tapered at 2 for ease in driving the post into the ground. The post is without attachments or impediments of any kind, either wings or anchor plates which facilitates the easy driving of the post into the ground, especially should the ground contain rocks, roots, etc., and further eliminates the necessity of digging a hole for the placement of the post as would be the case with wood posts and some types of steel posts, especially that type with expandible anchor plates.

3 designates a cross-member or anchor which is also preferably of angle iron. This member is of suitable length and has punched therein a plurality of holes 4 corresponding to the crosssection of stakes to be passed therethrough and driven into the ground for setting and securing the cross member 3. In this instance these holes are preferably of I formation to receive stakes of like cross-section, although other cross-sectional designs may be employed. The stakes for the cross-member are designated 5, of suitable length, preferably pointed at their lower ends, as at 6 and have heads 'l for abutment with the body of the cross-member when the stakes have been driven into the ground in securement position.

As previously pointed out the post I is driven into position. A trench is then dug, to a depth somewhat as illustrated in Fig. l and into this trench is seated the cross-member 3 and the latter tamped. down solidly. The stakes 5 are each passed through a hole 4 in the cross-member 3 and driven into the ground. For securing the cross-member to the post I provide a fastener 8, like in Fig. 3, if the post is an angle bar, or a fastener 9, like in Fig. 4, if the post is a tubular cross-section, as shown. Either fastener, after the cross-member has been placed is caused to have its threaded ends I U passed through openings in the cross-member and nuts II threaded thereon for firmly and securely fastening the cross-member to the post. This done, the post setting operation is complete, when the trench can be filled with dirt, as shown, and tamped.

I2 designates an inclined brace which is first preferably loosely bolted to the post I at I3, at or near the upper end thereof. This brace is inclined downwardly and away from the post and its lower end is also preferably loosely bolted to a foot-brace I4 mediate the ends thereof, as shown. Said foot-brace is provided with holes I5 to receive stakes I6. The foot-brace may correspond or not with the cross-member 3 and the holes I5 therethrough may also correspond or not to the holes in the cross-member. I prefer that they shall be of the same material and crosssection and that the stakes I6 shall be the same 5 as the stakes 5 and having heads I'I. One angle face of the foot-brace is provided with a plurality of holes I8 so that there may be provided means of adjustment for bolting the angle brace I2 to the foot-brace whereby to accomodate the 10 bracing structure to changing conditions.

A trench is dug, at an inclination and into this trench the foot-brace is seated and tamped. The stake I6 at the right is then passed through a hole I5 and driven into the ground. To drive 15 the other stake I6, the bolted connection between the angle brace I2 and the foot-brace IG is released so that the lower end of the angle brace may be raised to permit the placing and driving of said stake. This done, the angle brace is fas- 20 tened by being securely bolted to the foot-brace I4 and to the post I. The bracing operation is then complete, when the trench in which the foot-brace has been placed can be filled with dirt, as shown, and tamped. 25

After the post is driven into place, it is held in position by the rigid cross-member or anchor attached to the post, the cross-member being further supported and held in place by the stakes driven into position, as indicated in the drawing. 3D

It is apparent that the post itself cannot be moved in the ground unless one end of the rigid cross-member pushes further into the ground and the opposite end be raised.

The stakes tend to hold the outside end of 35 the rigid cross-member in position, while the inside end of said cross-member is held from pushing toward the fence line by all of the stakes and prevented from pushing into the ground by not only the resistance of the dirt itself, but 40v because the right-angled connection between the cross member and the stakes must be maintained, since the material used is heavy enough that it cannot give or break.

It is apparent that the cross-member is firmly 45 seated at the bottom of a shallow trench built to receive it and can later be covered with dirt so that weeds can be mowed, or the land cultivated right up to the post, if necessary.

The foot-brace at the lower end of the angle 50 brace is set below the ground line, at an angle, so that the forward and downward pressure is against the dirt. The stakes driven into position prevent either a forward or downward thrust, thus giving the required rigidity at this particu- 55 lar point. Several holes are bored in this brace foot, to overcome the difculty of setting it so as to make connection on one particular hole for the bolt that attaches the foot to the brace itself.

Such types of dirt-set end and corner posts 60 as I have seen developed thus far do not include the rigid cross-member construction, furthermore require a hole to be dug, or have the disadvantages of the wings or anchor plates attached to the upright post, from the driving standpoint. G5

When a hole is dug to receive the post, this naturally affects the rigid setting of same, as the very fact that my post is firmly driven into place helps just that much more toward oisetting the stretching strain. The hole idea is largely the result of trouble in driving the end post with wings or anchors attached, except that in the case of expanding anchor plates on the bottom to prevent the post from pulling up in stretching makes the hole absolutely necessary.

Such demonstrations as I have made thus far in different types of soil have clearly proven to me that this type of installation stands a strain far in excess of that applied when stretching even the heaviest fabric. This type f post installation has shown as good and even better resistance tov stretching strain than the heaviest wood posts and braces, such as are ordinarily used.

The stakes and I6 are shown disposed with their edges in the line of stretch of the fence and being so disposed will stand all strains to which they may be subjected on stretching the fence. these stakes so that flat faces may be presented to the line of stretch of the fence, in which case this may be done, as it is contemplated that such can be done.

What I claim is:

1. The method of driving and setting a dirtset. end or corner post in a fence structure, which consists in driving a post into the ground; preparing a shallow trench in the ground near the surface and cross-wise of the post susbtantially longitudinally of the fence to be erected and stretched; placing an elongated anchoring member of steel in said trench and tamping it down solidly; fastening said member to said post; staking the member down by driving a plurality of stakes of steel into the ground and through said member and lling the treneh'with dirt; then bracing the post by preparing a shallow trench in the ground removed at a distance from the post However, it may be desirable to dispose and at an inclination to the surface of the ground; placing a foot-brace in said trench also at an inclination to the surface of the ground and tamping it down solidly; loosely attaching an inclined brace at its upper end to the post and at its lower end to the foot brace, then staking the foot brace at its upper end, releasing the lower end of the inclined brace from the foot brace and further staking the latter, and then xedly securing the ends of the inclined brace to the post and to the foot brace respectively.

2. A dirt-set comer post and bracing means therefor, including an elongated metal anchoring member located in a trench beneath the surface of the ground and having a plurality of stake receiving openings on opposite sides of the center of the member, a post engaged with the central portion of the anchoringv member and driven into the ground to a predetermined degree, means to rigidly connect the post to the member upon completion of driving thereof, stakes receivable through the stake receiving openings and driven into the ground below the surface of the latter, an inclined brace xedly connected at its upper end to the post, a metal foot member located beneath the surface of the ground at a distance from the post and disposed at an incline to the surface of the ground and having openings, stakes receivable in the openings of the foot member and driven in the ground below the surface of the latter, and means to secure the lower end of the brace to the foot member substantially central of the length of the latter.

ORAL A. BROCK. 

